Rocky Mount, NC - Entering Saturday’s contest against Christopher Newport, head coach Jack Ginn (pictured) and his North Carolina Wesleyan football team had defeated every team in the USA South Conference except CNU. The third time was a charm for the Blue & Gold as Wesleyan pulled an impressive 46-34 upset of the 18th-ranked Captains at the Rocky Mount Athletic Complex, snapping CNU’s six-game winning streak. 

The Bishops, who came in averaging better than 400 yards a game, finished the day with 538 yards of total offense. NC Wesleyan also scored 30 points in the second half, while holding the Captains to just 13.  The victory was the Bishops' first over a top-25 opponent in the program's brief three-year history.

CNU's Roland Hilliard got the scoring started with his 10th touchdown in the past six games to put the Captains ahead 7-0 with 9:55 left in the first. Cedric Townsend's 10-yard run put the Bishops on the board. Brian Vaughn's kick was wide, however, giving the Captains a 7-6 with 2:10 remaining in the opening stanza.

On the ensuing kick-off, Hilliard returned the kick 95 yards for a touchdown, the longest return in CNU history to put the Captains on top 14-6 going into the second quarter.

Vaughn cut the lead to 14-9 with 12:43 left in the first half when he connected on a 32-yard field goal. The Captains answered by increasing their lead to 21-9 on Brian Long's 11-yard touchdown pass from Todd Faison just minutes later.

NC Wesleyan again cut into the lead on Mish Gilliam's 20-yard reception from Townsend with 4:29 remaining in the half to trail 21-16 at the break.

The Bishops took their first lead in the third quarter on freshman Teron Bush's 4-yard touchdown reception from Townsend with 8:35 remaining in the period. NC Wesleyan went for the two-point conversion and converted on Townsend's pass to Shelton Leverette to put NC Wesleyan up 24-21. It was also the first time the Captains had trailed in any game since the fourth quarter of CNU's overtime win at Salisbury.

Christopher Newport re-took the lead with 7:37 left in the third stanza on Evan Taylor's 30-yard run. He was hit initially hit after a three or four yard gain but spun to the outside for the score. The touchdown and point-after gave the Captains a 28-24 lead, but Christopher Brimer's 26-yard field goal with 1:46 left in third trimmed the CNU advantage to just 28-27.

The Bishops would take the lead for good on Townsend's 1-yard plunge with 8:41 remaining in the game, and Bush later scored his second TD of the game with 7:17 left in regulation on a 14-yard run. Brimer missed the kick and CNU trailed 39-28.

The final Bishop score came on Bryan Haywood's 49-yard touchdown run with 1:03 to go in the game. CNU would score a late touchdown on Faison's quarterback keeper from 1-yard out with seven seconds left which provided the final margin.

Hilliard paced the Captains with 131 yards on 25 carries and one score. Faison finished 13-of-25 for 127 yards, one touchdown pass and two interceptions.

Bush led the Bishops with 136 yards on the ground on 13 carries and one rushing touchdown, while Haywood finished with 87 yards on the ground on six carries. Townsend was 17-of-30 for 277 yards and two touchdown passes. Orlando Webb caught three balls for 116 yards, and Leverette had 100 yards receiving on eight catches.

Defensively, NCWC's Justin Augustin had eight tackles, while Quinderra Spellman tied the Wesleyan single-game record with three sacks.

The Captains fall to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the USA South. NC Wesleyan is now 4-4 overall and 3-2 in conference play.

Wesleyan will travel to Ferrum College Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. match-up with the Panthers.

Parts of this story are courtesy of CNU Sports Information…